Charleston School of Law student organizations are the perfect way to connect with other students and learn more about the practice of law.
I always encourage students to participate in organizations to best shape their legal education. Having access to the legal community is a great way for students to network and learn. – Joseph Guerriero
The Charleston School of Law Alliance for Equality is a student organization dedicated to the protection, promotion, and advancement of the rights of LGBTQ+ community. AFE seeks to foster a respectful, informed, and inclusive environment within the law school community by encouraging dialogue on legal and social issues affecting LGBTQ+ persons.
Our mission is to serve as an educational, social, and supportive resource. We provide a forum for thoughtful discussion, advocate for meaningful legal and societal change, and promote equal treatment under the law. The organization is committed to cultivating a safe and welcoming space for individuals of all sexual orientations or gender identities.
Membership is open to all students, regardless of identity or background, who share a commitment to equality, dignity, and justice.
For more than three decades, the Animal Legal Defense Fund has been fighting to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. Founded in 1979 by attorneys active in shaping the emerging field of animal law, ALDF has blazed the trail for stronger enforcement of anti-cruelty laws and more humane treatment of animals in every corner of American life. Today, ALDF’s groundbreaking efforts to push the U.S. legal system to end the suffering of abused animals are supported by hundreds of dedicated attorneys and more than 100,000 members. Every day, ALDF works to protect animals by:
The Keith J. Williams Black Law Students Association (KJWBLSA) promotes the professional needs and goals of all law students by fostering competence in the legal profession. BLSA creates opportunities that impact the Charleston community through service projects and diversity initiatives throughout the year. BLSA’s activities include: Minority Law Day – members serve as role models for middle and high school students, illustrating the benefits of higher education as they experience a day at law school; The Angel Tree Project – a project that provides gift donations for low-income children from faculty and students; Neighborhood Day – members donate school supplies to children in the community.
The Charleston Law chapter of BLSA is an affiliate of the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA), the largest student-run organization in the United States. With more than 200 chapters at law schools nationwide, these chapters represent more than 6,000 black law students.
The Business Law Society encourages the pursuit of legal careers in business-related fields. The Business Law Society coordinates several activities, including an attorney mentoring program, prominent guest speakers, local networking, and regular social events.
The purpose of this organization is to destigmatize the negative ideals about cannabis through education, business networking, and charitable endeavors. This organization intends to encourage dialogue, leadership, and the professional and personal advancement of our members.
The Student Division is a new addition to the Charleston County Bar Association. As an organization, we foster a close relationship with local bar members to benefit the local bar, law students, the community, and the legal profession.
Members of the Student Division have exclusive access to various benefits provided by the Charleston County Bar Association, including:
The Charleston Law Wellness Society is dedicated to supporting the holistic well-being of law students by promoting physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, social, and professional wellness. Through inclusive programming and a strong sense of community, the organization serves as a supportive resource for students navigating the demands of law school and the legal profession. Our mission is to encourage balance, resilience, and long-term wellness, while helping students prevent burnout and thrive both during their time at Charleston School of Law and beyond.
The Children’s Advocacy and Family Law Society at the Charleston School of Law was established to improve the lives of children by serving as advocates relating to abuse, neglect, juvenile justice, and family law. The society works closely with local agencies and legal professionals to facilitate the participation of Charleston School of Law students on behalf of children and youth in the community and to provide a forum for students interested in Family Law to become involved with professionals in the field. It is the goal of the Children’s Advocacy and Family Law Society to produce members who are ready to enter the legal profession as able and active child advocates.
Our missions is to inspire, encourage, and equip Christian attorneys and law students–both individually and in community–to proclaim, love, and serve Jesus Christ through the study and practice of law, the provision of legal assistance to the poor and needy, and the defense of religious freedom and the sanctity of human life.
CLS connects students with Christian attorneys to encourage, pray for, and mentor students. Attorneys and students meet and develop relationships through the CLS attorney chapters across the country, as well as through an annual national conference and several regional retreats. One of the great joys of being part of CLS and Law Student Ministries is being part of a movement that is bigger than one’s campus or the local bar association.
The Criminal Law Society is an organization that aims to enhance student knowledge about criminal law as well as provide insightful and useful information about the profession to those students who already have an interest in criminal law on a national, state and local level. The Criminal Law Society accomplishes these goals by providing students networking opportunities with professionals in the field of criminal law and educating students about current issues. The Criminal Law Society holds monthly meetings with guest speakers who work in criminal law and give students enlightening information about the field from a variety of legal positions. In addition, the Criminal Law Society promotes student awareness about criminal law through social events, fundraisers, panel discussions, and community service. The Criminal Law Society (CLS) was founded in 2008.
The mission of the Elder Law Society is to encourage, facilitate, and promote appreciation and growth of elder law, including but not limited to probate matters, trusts and estates, and elder protection. The Elder Law Society regularly has community area attorneys within the Charleston area and participates in community service for the elderly.
The Entertainment, Art and Sports Law Society (EASL) at Charleston School of Law was created to encourage and support students considering careers in the fields of entertainment, arts and sports law. The mission of the Society is to help shape the Law School’s entertainment arts and sports law curriculum and to host a wide variety of extra-curricular events targeted at students who are interested in practicing in these related practice areas.
Each year the Society hosts an assortment of events and educational meetings. These activities focus on the areas of substantive law that form the working tools of the entertainment practitioner, (business organizations, contracts, dispute resolution, intellectual property, labor and employment, negotiation and taxation) and on the practical, hands-on utilization of those disciplines in the representation of clients in the art, communications, film, internet/new media, music, publishing, television and sports industries.
In addition, the Society fosters professional networking to allow students the opportunity to interface with practicing entertainment, art and sports lawyers throughout the country.
The Environmental Law Society (ELS) provides a forum for students to gain knowledge about the practice of environmental law. In an attempt to provide exposure to the various facets of the environmental community, the group sponsors a variety of lecturers, interactive discussions, and beach clean-ups throughout the year.
Additionally, the ELS provides a forum to promote new environmental law courses, compose publishable material related to current environmental issues, interact with the local and regional environmental community and advocate for environmental awareness through community service projects, which benefit the Charleston region. ELS also initiated a recycling program at the Charleston School of Law.
The mission of the Federal Bar Association – Student Division is to promote interaction and learning between law students and federal judges and lawyers. This student group will work with the state and national chapters of the Federal Bar Association to strengthen student interest and knowledge of the federal legal system. The group will also seek to afford law students opportunities to observe federal court proceedings and interact with federal practitioners, as well as to provide students with information on careers in various areas of federal law.
The Federalist Society is a non-partisan, conservative/libertarian organization dedicated to fostering balanced and open debate about the fundamental principles of freedom, federalism and judicial restraint. The Federalist Society embraces the principle that the state exists to preserve freedom, that separation of powers is central to the integrity of our Constitution and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what it should be.
If/When/How is a national nonprofit network of law students, professors, and legal professionals committed to fostering the next wave of legal experts for the reproductive justice movement. We are lawyers and advocates who believe that everyone should be able to determine if, when, and how to build their families without barriers or punishment.
The purpose of the Immigration Law Association is to promote justice, gain understanding of fair and reasonable immigration law and policy and advance the quality of immigration and nationality law and practice. The organization also exists to enhance the professional development of its members.
The purpose of the Intellectual Property Legal Society (IPLS) is to increase the knowledge of, and interest in, intellectual property law within the Charleston School of Law community. To accomplish this goal, the society hosts seminars, guest speakers, networking events, and symposia involving both Charleston School of Law students and intellectual property attorneys in the region. The IPLS informs the general student body of any employment or educational opportunities arising in the intellectual property field, including career fairs, symposia, and seminars.
International Law Society was established as a forum for the exploration of international law, its applications and the opportunities it affords to the Charleston School of Law student.
This student organization acts as a liaison between Charleston Law and the international law community, international business community, and ABA approved study abroad programs; to foster an interest in matters of international law, foreign languages and foreign cultures and awareness of international legal systems and methodologies and the role they play in geopolitics and overall global affairs.
The Charleston School of Law Judicial Board is comprised of students, faculty, and administrators who shall have the responsibility for prescribing and enforcing the CSOL Honor code and Code of Conduct.
The Latino/a Law Student Association (LLSA) is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive community for Latino students at Charleston School of Law and sending highly qualified, dedicated, and responsible lawyers into every legal arena. These goals may be achieved by a membership that consists of both Latinos and individuals interested in Latino culture and issues. This vibrant membership may be composed of both Spanish- speakers and non-Spanish speakers and represent the various countries of Latin America.
LLSA seeks to remedy the under-representation of Latinos in all segments of the legal community. LLSA strives to increase the number of Latino students enrolled in the Charleston School of Law. In working toward this objective, LLSA will work closely with the Admissions Office on recruitment matters. Furthermore, LLSA strives to provide Latino students enrolled at the law school with academic and social support, as well as keeping abreast of Latino issues in the law.
Through the power of community, LLSA seeks to foster activism in all forms that seeks to improve conditions for the entire Latino population, which is now the nation’s largest minority group. Because of this demographic shift, LLSA must lead out in building coalitions with other communities. Thus, it is in that spirit of community that LLSA vows to work closely with the Black Law Student Association (BLSA), Public Interest Legal Society, Alliance for Equality, Women in Law and all other student and community organizations with similar goals to that of LLSA to empower and improve conditions for all under-represented groups.
The purpose of Law Democrats is to provide members with opportunities for personal and professional growth through interaction with elected officials and members of the Bar. Law Democrats strive to stimulate in our students an active interest in government and politics and work closely with local Democratic leaders to acquaint students and voters with issues and candidates. Through participation in community service activities Law Democrats seek to foster and perpetuate the ideals of the Democratic Party.
The Law Republicans of the Charleston School of Law strive to represent the principles of the Republican Party on campus, provide a forum for the discussion of current events, and to actively assist both the local and national branches of the party.
The Charleston School of Law Maritime Law Society is established to raise awareness and explore various aspects of admiralty and maritime law. This organization seeks to take advantage of both the significant presence of the maritime industry in Charleston, and visits to the Charleston School of Law by distinguished practitioners and members of maritime academia.
We are committed to providing a range of both professional and practical programming. The Maritime Law Society will provide members with the opportunity to participate in demonstrations and tours of the ‘hardware’ of the local industry.
Examples of these activities may include tours of State Port facilities or Coast Guard Station, and visits aboard tug or pilot boats. As well, the Maritime Law Society will provide a series of speakers, to discuss a range of both contemporary and historical issues in maritime law.
The Military and Student Veterans Organization provides a continued sense of community for those who served in the military in the United States or abroad. While we primarily consist of veterans, reservists, and those considering a military career post law school, we welcome anyone with an interest in supporting the military community. Members of our organization provide resources and encouragement to new law students, participate in various community building activities off campus, and volunteer with Veterans Treatment Court.
The Charleston School of Law Moot Court Board is a prestigious student run organization focused on developing written and oral advocacy skills in various areas of the law. Each year, the Moot Court Board holds an internal selection competition for rising 2L students, with the top twelve students receiving an invitation to join the board The mission of the Moot Court Board is to train poised, sharp-minded, and professional advocates through practice and competitions. The Moot Court Board has been active since its establishment in 2005 and has grown to excel at several prestigious competitions over the last twenty years.
The Moot Court Board sends teams to represent the Charleston School of Law in national competitions across the country, including: the ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, the Brigadier General Wayne E. Alley Military Law Competition, the Herbert Wechsler National Criminal Moot Court Competition, the Judge John R. Brown Admiralty Moot Court Competition, and the UCLA William’s Institute Competition. The success of the Moot Court Board is owed to the consistent support of the Charleston School of Law and its professors, our alumni, and the invaluable leadership of the Board members themselves.
The Paleontology Law Coalition’s mission is to inform its members of the link between paleontology (and related fields) and the legal field. The club explores this relationship by examining state statutes, international laws, case law, congressional acts, and other bodies of law that govern the excavation, preservation, and transportation of paleontological finds.
The Personal Injury Law Society is dedicated to fostering a strong community of aspiring legal professionals who specialize in personal injury law. Our mission is to equip members with essential knowledge, skills and networking opportunities that enhance their legal education.
Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International is a professional law fraternity advancing integrity, compassion and courage through service to the student, the school, the profession and the community.
Phi Alpha Delta is a fraternity which unites students and teachers of the law with members of the Bench and Bar in a fellowship designed to: advance the ideals of liberty and equal justice under law; to stimulate excellence in scholarship; inspire the virtues of compassion and courage; foster integrity and professional competence; promote the welfare of its members; and encourage their moral, intellectual, and cultural advancement so that each member may enjoy a lifetime of honorable professional and public service.
Mission, Vision & Core Values: Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International is a professional law fraternity advancing integrity, compassion and courage through service to the student, the school, the profession and the community. We are the preeminent law fraternity promoting the bonds of fraternalism and we are the leader in the development and advancement of professional ideals. Bound together by tradition and our common interest in the law, we share these core values: Integrity, Compassion, Courage, Professionalism, Service, Diversity, and Innovation.
The International Legal Honor Society of Phi Delta Phi, established in the year 1869 at University of Michigan to promote a higher standard of professional ethics, is among the oldest of legal organizations in the United States. It holds a unique position in the history of the United States bench, bar and the law schools. Over time, Phi Delta Phi has truly become an International Society. Phi Delta Phi’s reputation as an organization devoted to legal excellence has spread throughout the world, with many successful chapters in North America, Central America and Europe.
Phi Delta Phi has hundreds of chapters throughout the world and the number increases yearly. Phi Delta Phi has initiated in excess of 200,000 members. Phi Delta Phi’s mission is Phi Delta Phi promotes the highest standard of ethics and professionalism in law schools and the legal profession. Phi Delta Phi’s mission is to preserve and defend the dignity, honor and respect of the legal profession.
Some notable members of Phi Delta Phi include Franklin D. Roosevelt, Gerald R. Ford, Robert F. Kennedy, William H. Taft, Antonin Scalia, Theodore Roosevelt, and Sandra Day O’Connor.
Pro Bono Society is a student-led organization operating at the intersection of Law and Public Policy. The organization is an introduction to how policies influence and expand the law to achieve a desired outcome. We partner with local leaders, advocates, and experts to help shape policies that promote justice and the general welfare of society. Our foundation is a belief that all people deserve economic, political, and social rights and opportunities; and that those rights and opportunities ought to be protected and promoted equitably.
The Real Estate Society provides its members with the opportunity to meet those involved in the industry from local attorneys to nationwide developers. The Society hosts speakers each semester with the aim of educating students about opportunities in real estate law. It also seeks to facilitate connections with attorneys, so members can be the first to be considered for clerkships involving real estate or property law. In addition, the Real Estate Society has launched a program designed to give members first notice of real estate related projects that will satisfy their pro bono graduation requirement.
The Second Amendment Association is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting interest, education, and experience with the Second Amendment among both novices and enthusiasts.
Each student is a member of the Student Bar Association (SBA), by virtue of attending Charleston Law. The mission of the SBA is to serve as the collective voice for the student body and to help provide an exciting experience through social, academic and community service events. More specifically, the SBA administers the budget of student funds, recommends positive change to campus policy and provides the Weekly Dicta. Each semester the SBA collaborates with organizations on campus to help achieve its goals and expand its membership. Student committees contribute to the success of the SBA as it hosts memorable events like Fall Ball and Barrister’s Ball.
The SBA is composed of an Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branch and was formally created by a Constitution ratified by the SBA in 2009.
The Survivor Advocacy Society exists to encourage law student education and involvement in the fight against human trafficking. Our goal is to provide students with educational opportunities to learn about the issue and create effective advocates for survivors.”
The mission of the Technology, Energy, and Cyberspace Law Society is to develop STEM- related skills and knowledge within the legal community, showcasing the rapid development of technology, energy, and cyberspace. We aim to highlight how this intersects with legal work in areas such as cybersecurity, energy production and consumption, data privacy, domain ownership, biotech, etc.
The purpose of the Charleston School of Law Transactional Law Team (TLT) is to facilitate and promote in the development of transactional law practical skills including negotiating and drafting binding transactional law instruments such as contracts.
The TLT fulfills this purpose through practice and participation in internal and external competitions throughout the US. TLT members are selected annually by participating in the TLT application process that is held in the fall semester.
The mission of the Charleston School of Law Trial Advocacy Board (TAB) is to prepare students to become ethical, experienced, and zealous lawyer-advocates. Participation is founded upon a student’s commitment to the pursuit of excellence in advocacy and to ethically represent the Charleston School of Law through dedication and compliance with each team’s rigorous and demanding practice schedule, when representing the Charleston School of Law in trial advocacy competitions throughout the nation.
The overriding goal of the Charleston School of Law is to teach the practice of law as a profession with a chief aim of this practice towards providing public service for those who suffer because they are helpless, weak, or are victims of prejudice. Women in Law is a student organization created to promote this goal among the Charleston School of Law student body by serving and contributing to the Charleston community.
Women in Law also encourages the informed and active participation of women in government through ties with the South Carolina Women Lawyer’s Association. The organization holds regular meetings during which members and guests are exposed to professionals in the legal field who provide valuable information regarding areas of law that are of particular interest to women and can speak to the specific issues facing women entering the legal field.
The mission of the Workers’ Compensation Association (WCA) is to provide current students at the Charleston School of Law with a comprehensive understanding of workers’ compensation law through education, networking, and professional development. We are committed to fostering a dynamic environment where students can explore legal challenges, advocate for workers’ rights, and prepare for careers in this critical area of law.
Charleston School of Law and Lawyers Helping Lawyers will host “Lawyers and Law Students in Recovery” on Thursday, February 12, from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. in the Charleston Museum Auditorium.
Charleston School of Law invites you to The Citadel–Wofford Law Forum this Friday. Check-in begins at 1:00 p.m. The event will be held in the Capers Hall Auditorium on The Citadel's campus.